Gentle
ἐπιεικήςStrong’s G1933epieikēs
Appears in 5 verses of the New Testament
In short
Epieikēs is the Greek word usually translated “gentle” and “gentleness”. It appears in 5 verses of the New Testament.
“Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”
Meaning
Usually translated “gentle” and “gentleness”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- gentle 4
- gentleness 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Philippians 1
- 1 Timothy 1
- Titus 1
- James 1
- 1 Peter 1
5 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Titus 3:2In contextTo speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
- Philippians 4:5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
- James 3:17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- 1 Peter 2:18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
Greek dictionary
ἐπιεικής epieikēs · gentle
ἐπιεικής, -ές (εἰκός, likely), [in LXX: Psa.86:5 (סַלָּח), Est.8:13 * ;] 1. seemly, fitting (Hom.). 2. equitable, fair, moderate: 1Ti.3:3, Tit.3:2, 1Pe.2:18, Jas.3:17; τὸ ἐ. (Thuc., i, 76), Php.4:5 (cf. Mayor, Ja, l.with, and see: ἐπιεικία).† ἐπιείκεια see: ἐπιεικία ἐπιεικία (Rec. -είκεια), -ας, ἡ (ἐπιεικής), [in LXX: Wis.2:19 12:18 Bar.2:27, from LXX Bar.4:24, TH (3:42), 2Ma.2:22 2Mac 10:4, 3Ma.3:15 3Mac 7:6 * ;] fairness, moderation, gentleness ("sweet reasonableness," Matthew Arnold): Act.24:4; with πραΰτης, 2Co.10:1.† SYN.: πραΰτης (see Tr., Syn., § xliii) (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “gentle” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
GEN'TLE, adjective
[See Genteel.]
Well born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble; as the studies of noble and gentle youth; gentle blood.
- Mild; meek; soft; bland; not rough, harsh or severe; as a gentle nature, temper or disposition; a gentle manner; a gentle address; a gentle voice. 1 Thessalonians 2:71 Thessalonians 2:7
- Tame; peaceable; not wild, turbulent or refractory; as a gentle horse or beast.
- Soothing; pacific.
- Treating with mildness; not violent.
All definitions and other forms of “gentle”
GEN'TLE, noun
A gentleman.
- A kind of worm.
GEN'TLE, verb transitive
To make genteel; to raise from the vulgar.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.